2002 Honda Civic AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS

AIRBAG (SRS) LIGHT CONSTANTLY APPEARS FOR FAULTY SEATBELT SENSOR. THE SEATBELT SENSOR IS CONSTANTLY FAILING DISPUTE GETTING IT SERVICED. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AS IT COULD RESULT IN THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING.

TAKATA RECALL: I ROLLED MY CAR ON MY WAY TO WORK IN AUGUST OF 2015. I HAD GOTTEN A LETTER 2 WEEKS PRIOR OF AN AIRBAG RECALL. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIPS BUT DUE TO HIGH VOLUME I WAS PUT ON A WAITING LIST. MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND MY DRIVER'S SEATBELT DIDN'T LOCK. I SUFFERED A FRACTURE TO THE BASE OF MY SKULL AND A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. I COULDN'T WORK AT ALL FOR 9 MONTHS AND COULD ONLY WORK 10-15 HOURS A WEEK FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THAT. A WEEK AFTER THE CAR ACCIDENT I WAS FIRED FROM MY JOB WITHOUT SEVERANCE PAY AND I CALLED HONDA HEADQUARTERS AND THEY TOLD ME TO KEEP CHECKING FOR CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS. I WAS DRIVING ON A BACKROAD GOING 40 MPH AND I HIT SOME LOSE GRAVEL. I OVER REACTED AND TURNED THE WHEEL CAUSING ME TO MAKE A U TURN. I HIT MY BREAKS HARD TO STOP AND MAKE SURE MY SEATBELT WOULD LOCK. THE MOMENTUM OF STOPPING CAUSED MY HONDA TO ROLL. SINCE THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY MY FACE REPEATEDLY HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND BECAUSE MY SEATBELT DIDN'T LOCK MY HEAD SMASHED THE ROOF OF THE HONDA REPEATEDLY.

TAKATA RECALL----CIVIC HAD UNCEASING LIGHTED SRS LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD DURING MONTH OF JUNE 2014. HONDA MECHANICS INFORMED ME THAT THE CONDITION MEANT THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT INFLATE IF A NEED OCCURRED. REPEATED VISITS TO HONDA DURING WHICH THEY KEPT CAR FOR 2 DAYS AND THAN 3 DAYS. THEY MADE ME PAY BILLS OF $292.56 AND $705.19 FOR A NEW SRS COMPUTER SYSTEM SO AIR BAGS WOULD WORK

MY SRS LIGHT CAME ON. DUE TO DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT BUCKLE ISSUE. FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF IT. 02 HONDA CIVIC.

FOR EVERYONE WONDERING IF THE SRS SENSOR IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.. I WILL TELL YOU YES!! I BOUGHT MY 2002 CIVIC NEW AND IN AUGUST 2003 I TOTALED OUT MY CAR. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND MY SEAT BELT (WHICH I USE TO BELIEVE IN) RELEASED WHILE MY CAR FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES AND I WAS EJECTED. SINCE MY SEATBELT RELEASED IN THE MIDDLE OF FLIPPING SOMEHOW WRAPPED AROUND AND CUT AND BURNED MY ARM. MY ARM WAS ALMOST AMPUTATED 3/4 OF THE WAY. THANK GOD FOR THE 2 INCHES AND MY AMAZING DOCTORS I WAS ABLE TO KEEP MY ARM AFTER SIX SURGERIES INCLUDING PLASTIC SURGERY. MY ARM WAS ALSO BROKE. I NOW HAVE RADIAL NERVE DAMAGE WHICH MEANS I CAN NOT OPEN AND CLOSE MY HAND ALONG WITH LIMP WRIST. ALSO BOTH HIPS WERE FRACTURED ALONG WITH MY PELVIC.DUE TO THE LACERATIONS FROM MY SEAT BELT AN ARTERY WAS CUT WHERE I LOST ALOT OF BLOOD AND WAS TOLD I WAS TOUCH AND GO AT THE TIME AND WERE NOT SURE IF I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT, AFTER BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS AND SURGERIES I AM BEYOND THANKFUL TO BE HERE TODAY. AT THE AGE OF 25 I WAS PUT ON DISABILITY AND ALSO HAD TO FILE BANKRUPTCY DUE TO I HAD OVER 100K IN MEDICAL BILLS. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS PLEASE GET IT FIXED IT COULD MEAN MORE THAN YOU KNOW. I REFUSE TO EVER BUY A HONDA AGAIN 10 YEARS LATER THEY NOW SAY THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I HATE HONDA CORP WITH EVERYTHING IN ME. I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PLAY CATCH WITH MY CHILDREN AND WILL NEVER REMEMBER WHAT ITS LIKE TO JUST DO EASY TASKS THAT NOW TAKES ME HOURS. THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE MY COMPLAINT! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING AT 18 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PRECEEDING VEHICLE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SNOWY ROAD CONDITIONS WERE A MAJOR FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NOSE, MOUTH, FACE, AND HEAD, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON, THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS SENSING EXCESSIVE RESISTANCE IN THE SQUIB FOR THE PRETENSIONER. WE HAVE REPLACED THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ONCE ALREADY, AND IT FAILED AGAIN. SO THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON WHICH MEANS MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT GO OFF IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE? I SEE IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HONDA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS AN ISSUE HONDA SHOULD BE MADE TO REPAIR? *TR

THIS IS REGARDING AN OPEN RECALL LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED AND WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT ALREADY HAD BEEN COMPLETED. WHICH LIGHT IS STILL ON AND THE LETTER OF THE RECALL AND THE LIGHT STILL SAY THAT IT IS NOT DONE BUT ALL THE DEALERS STATE THAT IT IS. WE ARE NOT WANTING TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS TRUE. SO IF THERE IS ANOTHER AREA THAT I NEED TO BE AT PLEASE LET ME KNOW WE ARE JUST LOOKING FOR THIS STUFF TO BE RESOLVED AND HONDA HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. *TR

2002 HONDA CIVIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE INFLATOR AND AIR BAG ISSUE. CONSUMER STATES APPRECIATION FOR ASSISTANCE FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP. *SMD THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE AIR BAG INFLATOR AND SEAT BELT BUCKLE. THE AIR BAG ISSUE, WAS A RECALLED PART.

MY SRS LIGHT CAME ON AND CONTINUED TO STAY ON. I DID NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I SIMPLY STARTED MY CAR, PUT THE SEAT BELT ON AND STARTED DRIVING WHEN I NOTICED THE SRS LIGHT COME ON. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE ISSUE AND FOUND IT WAS A SEAT BELT BUCKLE SWITCH MALFUNCTION. THEY TOLD ME THAT IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. I WAS TOLD THAT IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT MAY FAIL AND THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. I HAD THE ISSUE REPAIRED FOR $295.00. AFTER RECENTLY LOOKING THROUGH OLD RECEIPTS, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2007 FOR THE OPDS AND THE SRS LIGHT STAYING ON. IN THAT CASE, THE AIRBAGS WERE IN DANGER OF NOT DEPLOYING AS WELL IF SOMEONE WAS OUT OF POSITION IN THE SEAT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH CIVIC'S SRS SYSTEM AND THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE SWITCH IS AN ONGOING AND RELATED ISSUE AS WELL. SEAT BELTS ARE COVERED UNDER A LIFETIME WARRANTY BUT FOR SOME REASON THE BUCKLE SWITCH IS NOT. IN ANY CASE, I'M WONDERING WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE SWITCH WHEN IT IS A PREVALENT PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. YEARS AFTER I HAD THIS ISSUE, I AM SEEING ON THE INTERNET THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAGS FAILING IN THIS VEHICLE DURING AN ACCIDENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. *TR

MY SRS LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE, EVEN AFTER RESETTING IT. IT SEEMS AS IF LATCHING AND/OR UNLATCHING THE SEAT BELT TRIGGERS THE LIGHT. HOWEVER, I'M APPREHENSIVE TO PAY A LABOR RATE OF $107/HOUR FOR THE DEALER TO FOLLOW THEIR "FLOWCHART" TO POSSIBLY FIND THE ISSUE. I AM WORRIED WITH THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED THAT THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONT COLLISION AND BELIEVE HONDA SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES OF MY TYPE TO HAVE AIRBAGS AND SEAT BELTS SENSORS CHECKED FREE OF CHARGE. I HAVE SEEN A FEW BULLETINS/RECALLS FOR 2002 CIVICS, BUT NOT FOR THE 2002 CIVIC SI, WHICH IS THE MODEL I OWN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V260000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL: DRIVER SIDE INFLATOR MODULE) IN DECEMBER 2011. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT IN NEED OF SERVICE AND THAT THE SERIAL NUMBERS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OTHER INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER IN REGARD TO THE RECALL, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE ON MAY 31, 2011. THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY FURTHER NOTIFICATION STATING THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN ADDED TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 07/06/12 *BF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 08/08/12

I BOUGHT A NEW 02 HONDA CIVIC EX. ON AUG 31 03 IT HAD BEEN RAINING AND I LOOKED DOWN FOR A MOMENT AND WHEN I LOOKED UP I WAS ON THE EDGE OF THE ROAD JERKING MY CAR BACK ONTO THE ROAD MY CAR SLID IMPACTING A MAILBOX ON MY PASSENGER FRONT SIDE THEN PRECEDED TO FLIP SEVERAL TIMES. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED (I WAS TOLD DUE TO THE FIRST IMPACT WAS NOT TO THE FRONT). WHILE FLIPPING MY SEATBELT RELEASED ME THROWING ME OUT OF THE DRIVER WINDOW LANDING FACE FIRST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY INJURIES MY LEFT ARM WAS SEVERELY BURNED DOCTORS CONCLUDE MY SEATBELT WRAPPED AROUND MY ARM DUE TO THE FLIPPING THE SEATBELT CUT MY ARM 3/4 OF THE WAY ALMOST AMPUTATING IT. I WENT THROUGH 6 SURGERIES AND NOW HAVE RADIAL NERVE DAMAGE AND LIMP WRIST. I CAN NOT EXTEND MY FINGERS AND WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO.I ALSO BROKE THAT ARM HAVING AN EXTERNAL CAST SINCE MY ARM WAS CUT. I FRACTURED MY FRONT & BACK HIP ON MY RIGHT SIDE, MY LEFT PELVIC BONE AND THE LEFT FRONT HIP BONE. I SPENT OVER A MONTH IN THE HOSPITAL. I WAS DETERMINED AT 25 DISABLED! I WAS TOLD BY ATTORNEYS THE WRECK WAS MY FAULT SO THEREFORE MY CAR MALFUNCTIONING AND MY INJURIES RECEIVED WAS MY FAULT TO DEAL WITH IT. WHICH I HAVE AND WILL FROM NOW ON. I HOPE ONE DAY SOMEONE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO PEOPLE. THE WRECK WAS MY FAULT, BUT THE INJURIES I RECEIVED WAS NOT! *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A 2002 HONDA CIVIC SI. DUE TO THE RECENT NOTICED I REALIZED WE MAY HAVE THE SAME AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT PROBLEM. OUR SRS LIGHT HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY ON FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS AND OUR DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT IS STICKING AND NOT ALWAYS LOCKING IN PLACE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF MY COMPLAINT WILL BE ADDRESSED, AND IF MY CAR WILL BE PUT ON THE RECALL LIST. I HAVE CONTACTED A HONDA DEALER AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME MY CAR IS NOT ON THE LIST. *TR

THE SRS LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON AND THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT FAILS TO ENGAGE PROPERLY. THIS IS ONGOING FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS. IT OFTEN TAKES 6 TO 8 TRIES TO ENGAGE THE SEATBELT, THEN IT BECOMES DISENGAGED SOMETIMES. *TR

SRS LIGHT CAME ON WITHOUT ANY REASON... DEALERSHIP ASSURES THAT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON MY MAKE/MODEL OF CAR... HOWEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IS COMMON SCENARIO FOR MY MAKE/MODEL YEAR... WHILE SRS LIGHT IS LIT UP INDICATES PROBLEM WITH SEATBELTS AND/OR AIRBAGS, THE ISSUE WITH SEATBELTS IS THAT THEY WILL NOT ENGAGE/LOCK WHEN BRAKES ARE SLAMMED ON AND AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY WHILE SRS LIGHT REMAINS LIT UP... HONDA CHARGES $90.00 TO HOOKUP TO DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM TO DETERMINE IF SEATBELTS OR AIRBAGS, SEATBELTS ARE COVERED UNDER LIFETIME GUARANTEE AND AIRBAGS ARE NOT... IF IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AS APPARENTLY IT IS WHILE VIEWING COMPLAINTS ON BOTH NHTSA.GOV AND HONDA FORUMS THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE SHOULD BE WAIVED AS WELL AS RECALL BE ISSUED TO REPAIR ANY AND ALL ISSUES WITH SRS, ISN'T IMPORTANT TO ENSURE SAFETY AND SAVE LIVES.... *TR

I HAVE A 2002 HONDA CIVIC AND THE SRS LIGHT JUST TURNED ON FOR NO REASON. NOT SURE WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS A BIG CONCERN FOR ME THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH THE MY PERSONAL SAFETY SINCE THIS AFFECTS THE SEAT BELT FUNCTIONING AND THE VEHICLE AIR BAGS. *TR

MY SRS AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND ACCORDING TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP IT IS SOMETHING WITH MY SEAT BELT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THE 2002 HONDA CIVICS. HONDA SHOULD RECALL THE CARS AND REPAIR IT FOR FREE. THE SEATBELT REPAIR IS FREE BUT THE TEST TO DETERMINE THE REASON MY LIGHT IS ON IS $70. THIS IS SAFETY RELATED AND SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION AND HONDA NEEDS TO FIX THE SITUATION WITHOUT CHARGING THE CONSUMERS THE $70 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. *TR

WAS RESEARCHING RECALLS FOR 2002 HONDA CIVICS AND FOUND OTHER CAR COMPLAINT RESOURCES WEBSITE STATING OVER A DOZEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON SRS RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILURE LIGHTS COMING ON AT SIMILAR MILEAGES FOR THIS CAR AND HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS COSTLY AND SEEMS TO BE A CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH SAID CAR MODEL AND YEAR. *TR

I HAVE HONDA CIVIC 2002. SRS LIGHT IS ON I TAKE IT TO DEALER TO CHECK & THEY FOUND MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS SENSOR IN IT MAKES TROUBLE HONDA WARRANTY COMES WITH LIFE TIME WARRANTY ON THE BUCKLE BUT DEALER SAY IN ORDER TO FIX THEY HAVE TO CHANGE BUCKLE BUT ITS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I CALL AND COMPLAINT TO HONDA CARE CENTER THEY MADE DECISION TO PAY ONLY $95 FOR DIAGNOSIS FEE & THEY WILL REPAIR IT FOR FREE ONLY ONE TIME BUT I GUESS SEAT BELT FAIL IS ALSO TROUBLE WITH INSIDE SRS SENSOR TOO BUT HOW COM THEY SEPARATE THIS ISSUE LIKE A SEAT BELT IS OK BUT SENSOR IS NOT OK AND YOU NEED NEW SENSOR WHICH COMES WITH SEATBELT BUCKLE THAN PAY TO HONDA OTHERWISE YOUR SRS LIGHT IS ON AND YOUR CAR AIRBAG NOT WORKING YOU COULD DIE BY NOT WORKING AIRBAG. YOUR SEAT BUCKLE IS WORK BUT SENOR NOT WORKING SO IT MAKES MORE TROUBLE BUT LIFE TIME WARRANTY NOT COVER THIS ISSUE??? *TR

I DRIVE A 2002 HONDA CIVIC EX. AROUND 50,000 MILES MY SRS LIGHT CAME ON. I FIRST WENT TO THE DEALER ON 10/6/06 WHERE THEY DID A SCAN ON MY CAR AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A UNIT FAILURE AND I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE MY SRS UNIT ($530.09). I WAS UNABLE TO AFFORD THE REPAIR, SO I HAD TO TAKE THE RISK AND DRIVE AROUND (AVERAGE 60 MILES A DAY FOR COMMUTE) WITH NO AIR BAGS TO SAVE MY LIFE IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE AMERICAN HONDA COMPANY TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST. THEY TOLD ME AIRBAGS ARE NOT AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE, THEY ARE MORE OF A BONUS. THEY SAID IF IT WAS MY SEAT BELT THEY WOULD HELP ME, BUT THEY DO NOT FEEL AIR BAGS ARE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO FIX. THEY ALSO SAID THEY DON'T REALLY SAVE LIVES. SOON AFTER MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS NOT CLICKING IN PLACE, AND I AGAIN TOOK MY CAR TO HONDA ON 2/16/07. THEY THOUGHT THAT MIGHT FIX MY SRS LIGHT ALSO. BUT IT REMAINED ON AFTER THEY REPLACED MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT. AGAIN, THEY DID A SCAN AND SAID I NEED TO REPLACE MY SRS SYSTEM. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AT THE LACK OF CONCERN HONDA HAS FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN SAVING LIVES....ONLY SAVING MONEY!! *TR

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHEN A PICK UP TRUCK CUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER FRONTAL OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND BOTH DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED TO HOLD. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL . DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.*AK *JB

WHILE DRIVING A COLLISION OCCURRED AT 25 MPH. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE OTHER VEHICLE, WHICH TOTALLY DESTROYED THE FRONT END. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, A BROKEN FOOT AND RIBS. *AK *SC

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER MADE A LEFT TURN AND WAS HIT HEAD ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE LEFT FRONT AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN NECK AND WAS HOSPITALIZED. *AK *NLM *TT *JB DRIVER WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT. THE FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT WAS UNOCCUPIED. MAKING A TURN AT 15 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT. THE DRIVER IS 5FT TALL AND SUSTAINED A BROKEN STERNUM AND BROKEN NECK FROM CRASH. WILL FAX PHOTOS OF THE CRASHED VEHICLE. THE 80 YEAR OLD DRIVER DID NOT STRIKE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STERNUM FRACTURES ARE BELIEVED TO BE THE RESULT OF THE SEAT BELT LOCKING UP DURING THE EVENT.CW *TT *JB